Receptacle assemblies



United States Patent 3,333,231 RECEPTACLE ASSEMBLIES Lawrence R. Travis, Monroevilie, Pitcairn, 9a., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Rogers Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed July 12, 1965, Ser. No. 471,156 3 Claims. (Cl. 339-175) The present invention relates to electrical connector assemblies, and more particularly to electrical connector assemblies for making multiple electrical connections.

In electrical and electronic circuitry the various components of the circuit are often interconnected through receptacle assemblies. The use of the receptacle assembly permits the relatively easy interconnection of circuit components to afford relatively easy modification of the circuit for test or engineering purposes. However, a serious disadvantage is found in the typical connector receptacle, in that, such receptacles usually lack ready access into the receptacle structure itself at the point of interconnection of the electrical component leads or conductors. This disadvantage makes it necessary to disconnect either the input lead to the connector for test or engineering purposes or else use the lead-in as a test point with the problem that this point is often inaccessible. If engineering changes are desired in the circuit, with no access to the receptacle being provided, it becomes necessary to remove the portion of the circuit to be modified from the receptacle in order to accomplish the desired change. The problems of providing test points and permitting easy engineering modification in receptacles not having ready electrical access thereto becomes even more severe when a large number of circuit components are to be interconnected. For example, when fiat flexible conductors arranged in a parallel array are to be utilized, the selection of an individual of these conductors is diflicult and from a practical standpoint often unfeasible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved receptacle assembly in which ready electrical access is provided into the receptacle assembly.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved receptacle assembly which provides ready electrical access thereto to act as a test point or for circuit modification.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved receptacle assembly which includes a contact for providing electrical connections thereto and which also provides a takeoff portion that permits access within the assembly to provide a test oint and easy modification of the circuit at that point.

Broadly, the present invention provides a receptacle assembly wherein an electrically insulating body member 'is utilized having contact receiving and takeoff apertures.

An electrical contact member is disposed within the body member to have a contact portion appear at a contact receiving aperture and a takeoff portion appearing at the takeolf aperture to permit ready access to the contact member so that the takeoff portion may function as a test point or modification of the circuit at that point is possible. The contact member is secured within the takeoff aperture by contact securing means engaging the takeoff portion.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent when considered in view of the following specification and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of one embodiment of the receptacle assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

3,333,231 Patented July 25, 1967 FIG. 3 is a plan view of another embodiment of the receptacle assembly of the present invention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of another embodiment of the receptacle assembly of the present invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VIVI of FIG. 5.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a single ended opposed type of receptacle assembly is shown. The receptacle assembly includes a pair of electrically insulating body members 2 and 4, which may, for example, comprise an electrically insulating plastic material that may be fabricated by any molding process. The body members 2 and 4 include, respectively, raised portions 6 and 8, which extend outwardly from the body members to form a substantially rectangular raised portion on the outside surface of the body members 2 and 4. A takeout aperture is provided in the body members 2 and 4 within the raised portions 6 and 8 respectively. When the body members 2 and 4 are disposed with the inside surfaces thereof together, a longitudinal slot 14 is provided therebetween. Within the slot 14, which acts as a contact receiving portion for the receptacle, a plurality of electrically conductive contacts 10, 12, 13, 16, 13, 20, etc. are disposed, as better seen in FIG. 1. Each of the electrical contacts are substantially identical. For the purpose of simplicity only the contacts 10 and 12 will be described in detail. The contacts 10 and 12 include respectively spring portions 22 and 23 which are disposed within the contact receiving aperture 14. The spring portions 22 and 23 include the bowed in portions 24, 25, which upon the insertion of a make contact into the aperture 14 will cause the portions 24, 25 to be compressed and thereby provide a reactive force to establish a good electrical contact to the male conductor. Connected to the spring portions 22, 23 of the contacts ltl and 12 and forming an integral part thereof are U-shaped takeolf portions 26, 28, respectively. The takeoff portions 26, 28 extend from the internal structure of the receptacle out through a takeoff aperture in the body members 2 and 4 within the raised structures d and 8, respectively. The takeoff portions 26 and 28 are accessible to the exterior of the receptacle so that they may act as terminals for the receptacle, or may be cut to insert electrical components or to open the circuit across the receptacle.

The contacts 18 and 12 include leg portions 30 and 32, which extend from the U-shaped portions 26 and 28 respectively along an inside surface of the body members 2 and 4 to the outside of the receptacle. The leg members 38 and 32 are terminated by loop terminal portions 34 and 36, respectively.

In order to secure the contact members 10 and 12 within the receptacle structure, a contact securing member 38 is provided which may comprise an electrically insulating material such as plastic. The securing member 38 is fitted in between the body members 2 and 4 to engage the U-shaped takeoff portions 26 and 28 of the contacts 10 and 12, respectively. The securing member 38 has flat portions 48 and 42 which conform to the leg portions 30 and 32 of the contacts 16 and 12, respectively, and stud portions 44- and 45 which extend outwardly from the flat portions 48 and 42 into the open portion of the U-shaped portions 26 and 28 of the contacts 10 and 12, respectively. Stud portions 44 and 46 include top portions 48 and 50, which extend over an end of the U-shaped portions 26 and 28 to aid in securing the U-shaped takeoff portions into the raised portions 6 and 8. The securing member 38 also includes a pair of notched portions 52 and 54 which act to hold ends 56 and 58 of the spring portion 22 of the contacts 10 and 12, respectively, in position so that the necessary reactive force against a male member being inserted into the aperture 14.

To secure the body members 2 and 4, the securing member 38 and the contacts within the receptacle structure, holes 60 and 62 are provided through which bolts, rivets or other suitableiastening means may be passed in order to complete the receptacle structure. a

As better shown in FIG. 1, the plurality of contacts 10, 12, 13, 16, 18, will appear parallelly disposed so that a plurality of similarly disposed male contacts may be inserted into the slot 14 to engage given of the contacts. At the looped terminal end of the contacts, the loop portions of the contacts will appear for external electrical connection. Between the spring portions 22 and 23 of the contacts will appear the takeoff portions 26, 28 which are accessible to the outside of the receptacle structure so that these takeoff portions may serve as test points for the receptacle structure at any of the given contacts or may be opened for the insertion of an electrical component or other circuit modification as desired.

In FIGS. 3 and 4 is shown a receptacle assembly of the single ended alternate type. That is, each ofthe contacts are disposed in an alternate fashion with the takeoff portions of the contacts appearing in the opposite side of the structure for adjacent contacts. A plurality of contacts 100, 102, 104, 106 are shown in FIG. 3 to be parallelly disposed between a pair of body members 112, 114. Only the contact members 104 and 106 are shown in the sectional view of FIG. 4 for the purposes of simplicity with the other contact members being analogously similar. The receptacle assembly is a two part assembly including the electrically insulating body members 112 and 114. A longitudinal slot 116 is formed to act as a contact receiving aperturewhen the body members 112 and 114 are placed together. Contacts 104 and 106 are disposed within the body members so that springportions 118 and 120 respectively of each appears in the aperture 116. A U-shaped takeofi part 122 of the contact member 104 fits through an aperture inthe body member 112 to provide an external takeoff portion. The takeofi portion 122 is surrounded by a raised portion 124 of the body member'112. From the takeofif U-shaped portion 122 a leg portion 126 extends outwardlyfrom the U-shaped portion to an externalregion from the assembly to a loop terminal portion 128, which may act as an external termination for the assembly.

In order to secure the, contact member 104 within the body assembly the other body member 114 has a stud portion 130 which fits into the U-shaped portion 122 and has stop portions 132 and 134 thereon which extend over the end of the U-shaped portions to securely hold the. :U-shaped portion 122 in place. The other contact 106 is held similarly in place by the body member 112 which thus permits two part receptacle assembly. 7

.The contact member 106 is disposed laterally along the longitudinally aperture 116 to be the next adjacent contact to the contact member 104. The spring portion 120 of the contact member 106 thus appears in the slot 116 but disposed along the aperture 116 next adjacent the spring portion 118 of the contact 104. Connected to' the spring portion 120 of the contact member 106 is a U-shaped takeoff portion 136 which fits through an aperture in the body member 114 to provide an external takeofi portion. A raised portion 138 surrounds the takeofi portion 136. The contact106 has a leg portion 140 which extends outwardly from the assembly to be terminated in a loop portion 142 V to which electrical connections may be made. The contact member 106 is held similarly to the contact member 104 witha stud portion 144 of the body member 112 engaging the U-shaped portion at its open end.

In the structure as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, male conof thecontacts 104 and 106 which provide an electrical connection thereto. The U-shaped takeofi portions 122 and 136 provide ready access to the contacts 104 and 106 to act as test points for the circuit established thereby or to permit the breaking of the circuit to insert electrical components or for other circuit modifications. The assembly structure is held together by suitable securing means applied to the holes 146 and 148 to complete the receptacle assembly.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show a double ended opposed type of receptacle assembly. In this embodiment a pair of body the aperture 204 and a spring portion 214 at the opposite" end disposed thereon in the aperture 206. Between the spring portions 212 and 214 is a U-shaped takeoff portion 216 which fits through an aperture in the body member 200. The contact member 210 similarly includes 9 pairs of I spring members 218 and 220 disposed, respectively, in the slot apertures 204 and 206, with a U-shaped takeoff portion 222 being disposed therebetween in an aperture'in the body member 202. A raised portion 224 is disposed about the takeoff portions on the takeofl-portion 216 side of the assembly and a raised portion 226 surrounds the takeofl portions on the 222 side of the assembly.

To secure the contact members 208 and 210 within the assembly, a contact securing member 228 is provided. The contact securing member 228 has a stud portion 230 and a stud portion 232' which secures the U- shaped members 216 and 222, respectively, with holding portions 234, 235 and 236, 237 being provided, respectively, to fit over the ends of the U-shaped portions 216 and 222. Stop portions 238 and 240 are provided onthe securing member 228 to hold the ends of the spring.

In' the embodiment of FIGS; 5 and 6, male members may be inserted into either or both of the apertures 204 or 206 to engage the corresponding spring portions 212- 218 or 214-220 so that secure electrical contact is provided between the male contact and the receptacle assembly. The U-shaped takeoff portions ofeach of the contacts 216 and 222 are connected between the spring respective portions so that an electrical test point is provided into the receptacle structure, or electricahcircuit components may be inserted at the U-shaped members or the U-sliape may be openedfor circuit modifical tion.

Although the present invention has been described in a certain degree ofpartic'ularity, it should be understood that the present disclosure has been made only byway of example and that numerous changes in the. details of construction and fabrication and the combination and arrangement of parts and elements may be resorted to without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention.

I claim:

1. A receptacle assembly comprising, a pair of electrically insulating body members with the inside surfaces thereof fitting together to form a longitudinal aperture therebetween extending transversely 'across a portion of the width of the assembly, each of said body members including a plurality of takeoff apertures spaced longitudinally along at least one of the body members,

a plurality of electrical contact members spaced from each other and extending transversely across said pair of body members within said longitudinal aperture, each of said contact members including a spring portion at each end thereof to permit an electrical input to be applied thereto and a U-shaped takeoff portion electrically connected between said spring portions, each of said takeoff portions fitting into a corresponding of said takeoff apertures with a portion of said takeoff portions appearing at the outside surfaces of the body member so that external electrical connection can be made at this point to each of said contact members, a pair of said contact members being disposed opposite each other so that the respective takeoif portions thereof appear on opposite sides of said assembly, and a contact securing member including a plurality of stud portions for engaging the corresponding U-shaped takeoif portions of said contact members to secure each of said contact members in place.

2. A receptacle assembly comprising, a pair of electrically insulating body members with the inside surfaces thereof fitting together to form a longitudinal aperture therebetween, a plurality of contact securing studs later ally spaced along said longitudinal aperture and extending from the inside surface of each of said body members toward the other of said body members, each of said body members including a plurality of takeoff apertures spaced longitudinally along at least one of the body members, a plurality of electrical contact members spaced from each other and extending transversely across said pair of body members Within said longitudinal aperture, each of said contact members including a contact receiving portion at one end thereof to permit an electrical input to be applied thereto and a takeofi portion electrically connected to said spring portions, each of said takeoff portions fitting into a corresponding of said takeoif apertures with a portion of said takeoff portions appearing at the outside surfaces of the body member so that external electrical connection can be made at this point to each of said contact members, said contact members being disposed so that the takeoff portions of adjacent contact members appear on opposite sides of said assembly, and with said contact securing studs engaging the corresponding takeoif portion appearing in the takeoff aperture in the opposite of said body members.

3. A receptacle assembly comprising, a pair of electrically insulating body members with the inside surfaces thereof fitting together to form a longitudinal aperture therebetween extending transversely across a portion of the width of the assembly, a plurality of contact securing studs laterally spaced along said longitudinal aperture and extending from the inside surface of each of said body members toward the other of said body members, each of said body members including a plurality of takeoff apertures spaced longitudinally along at least one of the body members, a plurality of electrical contact members spaced from each other and extending transversely across said pair of body members within said longitudinal aperture, each of said contact members including a spring portion at one end thereof to permit an electrical input to be applied thereto, a terminal portion at the other end thereof and a U-shaped takeoff portion electrically connected between said spring portion and said terminal portion, each of said takeoff portions fitting into a corresponding of said takeoff apertures with a portion of said takeoff portions appearing at the outside surface of the body member so that external electrical connection can be made at this point to each of said contact members, said contact members being disposed so that the takeoff portions of adjacent contact members appear on opposite sides of said assembly, and with said contact securing studs engaging the corresponding takeofl? portion appearing in the takeoff aperture in the opposite of said body members.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,927,296 3/1960 Boss et al. 339176 3,149,897 9/1964- Martinek 339-476 3,262,082 7/1966 Gammel 339176 X FOREIGN PATENTS 720,950 11/1965 Canada.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner. W. DONALD MILLER, Examiner.

J. R. MOSES, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A RECEPTACLE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING, A PAIR OF ELECTRICALLY INSULATING BODY MEMBERS WITH THE INSIDE SURFACES THEREOF FITTING TOGETHER TO FORM A LONGITUDINAL APERTURE THEREBETWEEN EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS A PORTION OF THE WIDTH OF THE ASSEMBLY, EACH OF SAID BODY MEMBERS INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF TAKEOFF APERTURES SPACED LONGITUDINALLY ALONG AT LEAST ONE OF THE BODY MEMBERS, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL CONTACT MEMBERS SPACED FROM EACH OTHER AND EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY ACROSS SAID PAIR OF BODY MEMBERS WITHIN SAID LONGITUDINAL APERTURE, EACH OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS INCLUDING A SPRING PORTION AT EACH END THEREOF TO PERMIT AN ELECTRICAL INPUT TO BE APPLIED THERETO AND A U-SHAPED TAKEOFF PORTION ELECTRICALLY CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SPRING PORTIONS, EACH OF SAID TAKEOFF PORTIONS FITTING INTO A CORRESPONDING OF SAID TAKEOFF APERTURES WITH A PORTION OF SAID TAKEOFF PORTIONS APPEARING AT THE OUTSIDE SURFACES OF THE BODY MEMBER SO THAT EXTERNAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTION CAN BE MADE AT THIS POINT TO EACH OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS, A PAIR OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED OPPOSITE EACH OTHER SO THAT THE RESPECTIVE TAKEOFF PORTIONS THEREOF APPEAR ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID ASSEMBLY, AND A CONTACT SECURING MEMBER INCLUDING A PLURALITY OF STUD PORTIONS FOR ENGAGING THE CORRESPONDING U-SHAPED TAKEOFF PORTIONS OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS TO SECURE EACH OF SAID CONTACT MEMBERS IN PLACE. 